by Tanya Hanson
“I know, Pops. I know what I did was wrong. And I’ll get out of your hair soon as I get some money saved.”
“Just so you know, I don’t mind if you stay here. Well, forever. It’s—”
“I know it’s Mom. I know she loves me in her way, but I also know—”
“Daisy, you broke her heart,” her dad burst out. “She’d been planning your wedding since the day you were born. And then…”
You eloped. We’d never even met him. How could you? You didn’t even tell us. We weren’t even welcome at your wedding! I wanted you to wear the locket I wore, and your grandmother and great-grandmother before me.
Her mother’s painful wail still haunted Daisy at night, and her stomach clenched.
She and Tony had spent one more academic year in Mountain Cove before the move to Fort Collins, and Mom’s displeasure—and Grandma’s—had never wavered.
And Daisy paid for it every day.
Especially having a Golden Boy for a brother who had married Miss Platinum. At least at three, her little nephew Owen didn’t yet know the details of her degrading fall from respectability.
If only she could redo the past. “Oh, Pops, I know it was wrong. I was wrong. But Tony, he was so impetuous. It was contagious.”
“Worse, we never even knew you were dating him. We thought…” Pops coughed gently. “We thought you and Kenn Martin were a sure thing.”
Daisy shrugged, uncomfortable. “Kenn was so busy in the summers leading wagon train tours. Gone for five days at a time. I wanted a man who was home every night. I fell head-over-heels for Tony, and Kenn wasn’t around to tell. Oh, Tony was ambitious. He wanted to get out of here. See more of the world. Kenn, he…” She stopped, not daring to sound critical of another Martin brother. “He made it clear he’d never leave Hearts Crossing. It was home. But me, I’d never been farther away than college.”
“But you obviously cared about Kenn. Last week you...”
“Sure made a fool of myself trying to get him back.” New shame flooded her. “I’d heard he was still single, so I thought maybe…maybe he still pined for me.” She swallowed hard, cheeks hot. Although she was no longer in love with Kenn, he represented the down-home stability so opposite of the husband who’d humiliated her. If he’d opened his arms to her, why, she’d have gotten some respectability back. But… “But Pops, I’d had too much to drink. I know it’s not a good excuse but…”
He flinched, his disappointment, make that embarrassment, so huge he couldn’t meet her gaze. At least he didn’t recoil when she put down her Sandoku knife and touched his arm.
“Pops, I am not an alcoholic. I definitely don’t have a drinking problem. You must believe me. I barely ever drank. That’s why it hit me between the eyes.”
He sighed. “It might be nice if you explained that to the Martins. I mean, sugar, you had a flask in your pocket.”
Humiliation heated as she recalled her liquid courage. “A souvenir from Las Vegas Tony got me on our so-called honeymoon.” Oh, she’d laughed at the time, but now she saw it as another unkind jab at the way she’d been raised. “But, Pops, I’m not…I don’t…”
The Martins. Something more to explain, to apologize for. To get absolution. Ah, the list was getting long.
“You’re right, Pops. Of course, you’re right.”
“You didn’t….drive drunk to the hoedown now, did you, sugar?” The worry etching her father’s forehead broke her heart in an entirely different way. She might be all grown up, but she realized a father’s anxiety over his offspring never lessened. Truth was, she’d been risky and foolish and let him down big-time.
She stared down at her toes as the heat of shame blazed her skin. “No. I mean, not on the main highway. I…I started to tipple soon’s I turned off to Hearts Crossing.” His harsh intake of breath almost derailed her, and she could barely meet his gaze. But she forced herself to witness the disappointment glazing his sweet brown eyes. “But I’ve never done anything like that before. Honest, Pops. The flask was my defense against…Kenn rejecting me. Which he did. I am so, so sorry.”
“Sorry’s a big word. Seems you ought to spread it around.” The kindness in his voice overran any hint of his disillusion with her, and she almost wished he’d rant at her like she deserved.
She tried to explain again. “Pops, I needed something, someone, and I just didn’t know what or who it is.” She mused, fingers tightening around a knife handle. “Still don’t.”
Her heart tumbled to her toes as her father’s work-roughened hand reached out to brush her cheek.
“Aw, sugar, you might just try the Lord.”
3
Dew crisped the bluestem and switchgrass carpeting Hearts Crossing, and Outlaw whickered in joy. Adopted from the BLM’s annual wild horse roundup, the black and brown pinto was well named and, like this morning, often a real handful. And since Pike hadn’t slept well, he fully expected some shenanigans.
“I’ve got an eight o’clock appointment at the clinic,” he told Hooper who’d saddled up his own buckskin Alamo. The tourists wouldn’t be arriving for a couple of hours, and Hoop planned to take his little girl for a quick ride beforehand. Pike reckoned Ella’d like some quality time alone with her dad since he’d be gone the rest of the week. “And I can’t wait for the wagons. I think I’ll head out toward Fortress Creek, check out the foot bridge. Ella said she saw some ‘cracks’ on it.”
Pike smiled at his little niece’s description, and Hoop chuckled. “Thanks, Pike. Haven’t had the time myself. Likely graffiti, or some kid just scratching his name with a penknife. But she’s sure worried that old bridge is gonna fall into the creek next time she walks across it.”
After a gentle smack on Outlaw’s flank, Pike mounted up. “Have a good trip, Hoop.”
“Gonna miss you this time around, dude. By the way, good luck with Elway. With…everything.” Hoop tipped his Stetson, and Pike knew at once what—who—he meant. Daisy.
The silver crucifix Pa had given Hoop, and all his sons, sparkled around his neck. Pike touched his own, marveling again at Hoop’s strong faith. Nothing seemed to rattle him. Although Pike rarely questioned the Lord’s hand in his life, he couldn’t understand why He let Daisy Densmore get so under his skin. She’d crept into a dream he’d had last night, hence the headache ever since he got up.
Somebody to need me.
Well, he didn’t need her, that’s for sure. For one thing, he’d never hurt Kenn by bringing the faithless Daisy back into the fold. Second, she’d impugned his own professional integrity, something Pike worked hard to keep spotless. Everybody around knew it. He gritted his teeth as he headed out the ranch gates opposite the sunrise. But then, everybody in Mountain Cove knew Daisy, too.
An unwieldy thought he couldn’t stop started to worm itself into his brain. Daisy wasn’t unlike Elway. Beautiful on the outside but inside, slowly dying. And Pike was ever one to help a creature in need. With a growl of frustration, he smacked away a sudden image of her helpless in his arms, and then galloped briskly out the gate.
As he rode under the crossbeam where it hung, the Hearts Crossing brand, interlocking hearts protecting a cross, looked the same saying good-bye as it did saying hello. It was Ma’s idea way back when, but the cross was subtle, didn’t preach. Love and faith, that’s what Ma and Pa had been all about. And they’d taught the lessons well. Any woman Pike chose would be honest and upright, faithful to her man. A woman who kept her promises, stood up for God.
At least her mom had sense. Karen Densmore had phoned him last night. After a few gentle days of spoiling and good-byes, she promised to bring in Elway to cross that Rainbow Bridge.
Pike choked back a sigh. Any physician of man or beast who didn’t feel compassion was, in his opinion, no kind of physician at all.
True to Pike’s inclination, Outlaw felt his oats from mane to hoof, and Pike found himself racing dawn, at one with the horse and at peace with the world. That’s what happened when mountains embraced you
and the morning wind dashed hope in your face.
When the little footbridge at Fortress Creek came into view past the apple trees of Orchard Bluff, he reined in and dismounted. Besides needing a check-up, the bridge was just the place for a spell of prayer, and Pike knew he and God needed a good gab.
Aspen daisies tugged at the ground when the breeze touched them. Some said the Cavalry had started a fort here once upon a time, but nobody had ever known for sure. Seemed a cool name for a creek anyway.
He breathed deep of fresh morning air and stretched his arms high. Nothing like reaching for heaven to set a good mood.
As he led Outlaw for a drink, he recognized the Appaloosa from his eye’s corner. His heart set to pounding in rhythm with the remnants of his headache. Freckles. Joel Densmore had given the mare to his daughter, likely a bribe, when she accepted her teaching job at Mountain Cove High right out of college, when she’d met Kenn. And Tony. For a flash, Pike wondered if she’d had any other teaching offers, and what her life might have been like if she’d taken one of them instead.
At least, he grumped, she wouldn’t be here now, unsettling me.
Before he could turn back, he saw her slumped upon a boulder at the edge of the creek, head in hands, as though the weight of the world had unloaded on her.
No matter. It was a weight she’d caused herself.
Still…Something stirred deep down. Pike had strong shoulders and enough stamina to lean on.
As if guided by an invisible hand, he made his way to her side. Somehow a rose-flavored fragrance lay on the breeze ruffling the chokecherry trees. Over the burbles of the creek and whimpers of the wind, she didn’t seem to hear him coming. He had plenty of time to change his mind.
But he didn’t.
Why, he didn’t know. Unless somewhere dark and deep down wanted him to talk with her.
“’Morning, Daisy.”
She started, scrambled to her feet, and glowered at him. “’Morning back at ya,” she said. Then she pushed back the sleeve of her black sweater and pointedly looked at her watch. “I’m sure you don’t want to be late for the clinic.”
Sure enough, she’d ruffled his feathers. “Just a fine point here, but this is Martin land.”
“I guess that’s code for I’m trespassing?” she shot back.
He kept his cool but regretted his impulse to join her. “Any and all are welcome. It means I know where I am and how long I need to get to work.”
Like a gunfighter of old in a draw, she faced him, arms tense, fists clenched. Just like the night at the hoedown, he knew it was all false bravado, and something in his heart tweaked. Surprised, he noticed his knees weakening a tad.
She lost the draw, dropped her gaze to the toes of her boots. Faded blue jeans hugged her legs like an old friend, worn comfy boots snug up her calves. That black sweater, though, had seen far better days. Then she looked up at him from about five feet zero, eyes so dark he couldn’t see the pupils. The long black ponytail had long ago given in to the wind.
“Well, then, thanks for letting me stay. It’s peaceful here. Picture-perfect.” Her voice lost its edge, and something in her tone touched him deep down. She still didn’t look at him, but her cheeks pinked. “I recalled this place from when…from when Kenn and I used to come here. I…needed to gather my thoughts.”
Mention of his brother riled him, brought back memories of the hoedown, and ruined any thoughts of peaceful and picture-perfect for him. Wishing he’d stayed away, far away, he straightened his knees and loomed over her, taller yet. “You better not be pining for him,” he rasped.
“No. No. Don’t get me wrong. I know he’s with somebody else now.”
“Not just with somebody else. Engaged to her.” Pike himself heard the extra harshness in his tone.
She nodded. “I know. I’m not here because it reminds me of Kenn and what…what we had. I just remembered how much I liked it here. And the bridge? I came to, well…”
“What? Jump off it?”
Her face fell, turning pale. “To throw a penny in the creek and make a wish.” Then she held her chin strong and looked up at him straight on.
“Ought to try an honest prayer instead of some dumb wish.”
“I know what I do doesn’t mean anything to you.”
“You’re wrong.” Pike tried to keep his voice from shaking. “It means you need to apologize.”
****
“For what?” Daisy spat out the words. The nerve! So much for her desire for decent conversation. “You’re not my dad.”
“Thank God for that. No daughter of mine would get away with behaving like you do.”
The sweet memories of his strong warm arms around her at the clinic and the hoedown, and his soft voice comforting her both times, shattered at once. Her guard rose as firm as that long ago fortress, but all the same, disappointment swamped her. It had been far too long since a man had held her or talked gently. Despite her stiff tone, her heart had pittered mightily when she’d found him in sight.
She couldn’t help a childish stomp of her foot. “What happened between Kenn and me is between Kenn and me. And I’ll make it right when he’s back.” She shook her head. “But that’s nothing to do with you. Why did you have to come bother me?”
Pike removed his brown Stetson and combed his tan fingers through his wheat-colored hair before he talked again. All the earthy colors matched the plaid of his long-sleeve shirt.
“I saw Freckles when I rode up,” he said finally after he replaced the hat. “I came over to tell you, in case your ma hasn’t. She and I are in agreement. About Elway. No extreme measures.”
“You’re wrong. I want to have another opinion.”
“I think she trusts Doc Fahmy—not to mention me—completely. You might apologize for insinuating I’d put Elway down out of revenge.”
“Surely you can see how I’d think so.”
“Sure. Because you don’t take any responsibility for your bad behavior. Or for bumps along the road of life. You blame somebody else.” Pike’s voice slid between gritted teeth. She could see the hard tension in his jaw.
“What are you talking about? What on earth do you know?”
He snorted. “You forget. Kenn’s my brother. That summer, he was gone on wagon train tours. To help keep our ranch afloat. He wasn’t around to kiss your feet. So that’s your excuse for ditching him and hooking up with Tony.”
Daisy gulped as heat rose in her cheeks. They were practically the same words she’d laid on her dad. Even if she’d never made any promises to Kenn, he had deserved better than that.
“At our hoedown you make a fool of yourself and blame it on alcohol. Elway gets sick and I’m giving bad advice because I’m Kenn’s brother. Just because you don’t want to accept the truth.”
“Pike…I…” I don’t want to hear any more, she finished inside her head.
“Who’d you blame if you got a bad grade in school? Yourself for not studying hard enough?” Pike scoffed and glared down at her. His jaw moved silently for a second. His russet eyes complemented that blond hair and brown hat like some Western artist had planned his portrait, and even though his anger gnarled his face and resentment twisted her gut, she liked looking at him. “Or was it somehow the teacher’s fault.”
“I never got bad grades.” She hadn’t, but they’d never been as good as her brother Daniel’s, so there was no point in working to the maximum.
Heat flooded her, and her fingers tensed into balls. She hated to admit it, but Pike was starting to make some sense. She’d always used the Golden Boy syndrome she’d invented rather than study harder herself. Everything else he’d said about Kenn and Tony and Elway started to percolate too, and not in a good way.
“Did you ever just think about asking God for help?” Pike asked.
In a huff she turned away, holding back a snarky retort like You’re not my pastor. But just last night Pops had told her all she needed was God’s love. Her skin scorched. She’d pooh-poohed him because
God had promised never to send more than one could bear, and look how well He’d kept His word. Her life was in the toilet and flushing fast.
Well, she wasn’t in any kind of mood to let Pike bring her down any farther than she already was. Dewdrops splattered her boots as she made her way through the deep prairie clover to the bridge. Suddenly weak, she leaned hard on the rail with her elbows. Even the rushing stream throbbed more than soothed.
“Daisy.” His voice softened to that delicious tone he’d used at the hoedown when she’d made such a wreck of things. She turned as he walked toward her. When he joined her on the little wooden bridge, she saw his gaze had softened; his eyes had lost their glare. Quickly he tucked his thumbs in his belt, and she longed to think it was because he was afraid he’d reach for her.
Her heart melted.
“What’d you wish for?” he whispered over the morning wind, all animosity and scoffing gone from his voice.
“I wished for a job.”
“A job?” His eyes, normally squinted from the sun, widened like a child’s. And she got it. Like most folks, he must figure she was in Mountain Cove just for the reunion. For a summer visit with her folks before another school year in Fort Collins.
“I need a job. I left Fort Collins,” she confessed. And it hurt even though the dreams had long died.
“What? For good?” He laid strong fingers on her forearm and even through her old rag-tag sweater her skin sizzled.
Awash again in painful memories, she looked away. All the clothes Tony had gotten her, anything she’d bought since their marriage had ended up at Goodwill. Today’s ratty black sweater was a high school favorite she’d never been able to part with.
His hand gently massaged her. It was likely the moves he used to comfort an ailing animal. Her breath caught before she found her voice. “I made it through last school year even though Tony left and started proceedings. In my heart, I couldn’t leave my friends, my students, in the lurch.” And I needed the money, she finished silently. Tony had cleaned out their bank account, and she had bills and rent to pay on her salary alone.